TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University baseball team exploded for 21 runs on Friday afternoon, securing a doubleheader sweep of Northwest Conference rival Willamette University. The Lutes poured on 10 runs in a single inning in an 11-6 win in the opener before blanking the Bearcats 10-0 in game two.

The opener was scoreless until the Bearcats' (4-5, 2-3 NWC) Clint Walker belted a three-run home run with two outs in the sixth inning. Pacific Lutheran (8-2, 4-1 NWC) countered in the bottom half of the frame, exploding for 10 runs to seize a comfortable lead. Alex Boyd led off the inning with a single before Andy Schmitz, Tori Doten, and Jordan Haworth collected back-to-back-to-back doubles to tie the game at 3-3.

The offense didn't stop there with Connor Lemma scoring the go-ahead run by drawing a bases loaded walk. A Sean Kauffman two-bagger scored a pair before Boyd hit a two-RBI double to push the lead to 8-3. A Braeden Lundberg single scoring another while Haworth drove in Lundberg to make it 10-3.

Lundberg drove in another run in the eighth as the Lutes cruised to the 11-6 win.

Boyd was the star of game one, going three-for-four with two RBIs and three runs scored. Boyd was one of five Lutes with multiple RBIs on the day, joining Doten, Haworth, Kauffman, and Lundberg.

Tommy Snyder struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings of work on the mound. Noah Ferguson earned the win, retiring the one batter he faced in the sixth. Trevor Mason and Nathan Anderson finished off the contest, combining for three strikeouts.

In game two, Cole Trotignon put the Lutes up early, scoring Doten on a single to left field in the bottom of the first.

The Lutes added two on a Schmitz fielder's choice in the second before tacking on two more in the third. Trotignon and Barton drove in runs in the fourth, extending the Lute lead to 7-0 before a Boyd double in the eighth cleared the bases to put the Lutes' up 10-0.

Trotignon and Lundberg finished the nightcap with a pair of hits while Kauffman scored three runs.

Spencer Howell pitched a gem, striking out four and allowing just four hits in seven scoreless innings. Ferguson tossed the final two, fanning four to preserve the shutout. 

"Our guys did a good job grinding out at-bats all day against some good pitching," said Head Coach Nolan Soete. "Tommy and Spencer had excellent outings on the mound and Noah was very efficient in relief. Alex was locked in at the plate in both games and we played good defense. Overall, it was a great team effort today."

The Lutes and Bearcats finish off the series tomorrow at 11 a.m.